Nabarangpur: The Nabarangpur district unit of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today called for a 12-hour bandh in Raighar on Monday to protest the death of a female B.Sc. Nursing student who allegedly took her own life following harassment.

The bandh will be observed from 6 AM to 6 PM on Monday, with the party demanding compensation for the family of the deceased, identified as Kalpana Ray from Dumurimunda village in Nabarangpur district.

Kalpana, a second-year B.Sc. Nursing student in Jeypore, reportedly consumed pesticide on July 17 after repeated harassment by a youth, Satyajit Sarkar, from a neighbouring village. Satyajit was allegedly in a one-sided affair with her and had been troubling her on multiple occasions.

On July 13, while shopping in Jeypore, Kalpana was reportedly assaulted by Satyajit in public. Although she approached the police, the matter was resolved informally. Two days later, on July 15, she filed an FIR against him, but no immediate action followed.

In the meantime, Satyajit allegedly circulated photographs of Kalpana and her boyfriend, leading to her fear of public humiliation.

After consuming pesticide, Kalpana was first treated at a local hospital and later shifted to a private facility in Raipur. On July 21, she was brought back to Umerkote hospital and subsequently transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she died on August 9 during treatment.

Following the family’s complaint, police have arrested Satyajit and another youth accused of circulating the photographs.